Tuesday, 5 July 2011

Kent and Sussex birding

Blackcap

We met up with rob at Ashford, and headed to Stodmarsh for Turtle dove as our main target and the two Night herons that have been around these last few day.

We parked the car at the Stodmarsh the reserve and instantly had Blackcaps, Reed warbler, Whitethroats and lots of other passerines i also hear a calling Tawny owl, dad spotted a water vole eating grass which was nice to see .we then saw Mark chidders who said that he had some Turtle doves round the reserve, so we headed to see if we could pick one up . rob spotted to bullfinches flying along the hedges . we then saw the juv Night heron sitting in a tree next to a Grey heron and a Cormorant this makes are 3 bird this year not bad .also of note were Common tern, Coots, Tufted ducks and lots of dead fish with Marsh frogs sitting on them.

Marsh harrier

We then decided to move along the river were rob picked up a purring Turtle dove but we didn’t manage to see any, we also had a few Marsh harrier over the reed beds also a nice female sitting down on a bush that me and dad got really close to, we then came up to a scrape were there was 2 Green sandpipers and some lapwing, i then heard another Turtle dove calling but there was no sign of it, Dad then called out that he had a Bittern flying low over the marshes which was nice to see.

Hobby

From here we went to Dungeness for the Great white egret but there was no sign but we did have to Little owls, a few hobbys Common tern, and Bearded tit, there was also a nice Stoat the showed really well trying to get to its nest but was scared by walkers, there was nothing else of note here so we made our last stop at Pulborough brooks for Nightjars.

When we arrived at the brooks we saw a great crested newt in the pond by the visitor centre .we the headed to the heath were we had to wait a little wile before the Nightjars started churring and show themselves but rob did pick out a fem Crossbill also we saw a family of marsh tits and a nice treecerreper, it was then time for the Nightjars and we heard 4 churring and saw 3 flying around and sitting showing really well in the dusk.